Things to do near
Gamtoos Valley
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Golf Courses
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Hankey (6.2 km from Gamtoos Valley) Hankey Country Club's course is rated as one of the best 9-hole courses in the country. This charming old club in the Gamtoos Valley plays host each year to the Hadeda tournament.
Nature Reserves
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Jeffreys Bay (14.6 km from Gamtoos Valley) Enjoy clip clopping along untouched beaches and through indigenous vegetation with well-schooled horses and experienced guides. All rides start on the farm Papiesfontein between the Gamtoos and Kabeljous Rivers, 10 km from Jeffreys Bay.
The 13 km trail leads over pretty dunes to the river mouth and a long stretch of beach – perfect for an exhilarating gallop. Along the way you’ll see abundant birdlife, animals and marine life. Bookings are essential.
Popular Attractions
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Jeffreys Bay (16 km from Gamtoos Valley) So you’re visiting J-Bay and can’t surf or skate? Why not try sandboarding. Skilled instructors will be on hand to teach you the basics and in no time you’ll be flying down the dunes.
Popular Attractions
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Jeffreys Bay (16.2 km from Gamtoos Valley) Learn the basics of kite boarding in Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay. Keen learners from all over the world come here to experience the perfect waves and adrenalin rush. Dedicated and skilled instructors teach beginners the techniques in no time at all.
Popular Attractions
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Jeffreys Bay (17 km from Gamtoos Valley) Explore reefs teeming with soft coral, ragged tooth sharks, fishes, dolphins and whales. JBay Dive School offers Scuba diving courses, dive charters, dive equipment, sales and air fills. The school can be found on the main beach next to launch site (opposite Training Edge Gym).
Fun Parks
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Jeffreys Bay (17 km from Gamtoos Valley) Funky Frogs is a play centre situated in Fountains Mall. There’s so much for your pipsqueak to do – the Island Jumping Castle, various jungle gyms, scooter track and a variety of educational toys. Grab a coffee and relax while watching your little one having fun or escape to shop unencumbered or enjoy a quiet meal at one of the surrounding restaurants.
Golf Courses
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Jeffreys Bay (17 km from Gamtoos Valley) Enjoy a lovely round of golf here at the Jeffreys Bay Golf Club, which features beautiful views over the ocean.
Jeffreys Bay is well-known as a top surfing spot along the east coast, however, if you're also a golf enthusiast, Jeffreys Bay Golf Club is the place to head to. This is a 9-hole course with kikuyu fairways and bayview greens. Visitors are welcome.
Popular Attractions
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Jeffreys Bay (17 km from Gamtoos Valley) Enter a whole new wonderful world – under the sea with Steve Potts’s dive charter and Scuba diving school. You’ll be in good hands; Steve has more than 4000 dives and is one of CMAS-ISA's top instructors.
Courses include 1 Star, 2 Star, 3 Star, Dive Masters, Nitrox, Advanced Nitrox, Rescue, O2 Administration, Night Diver, Wreck Diver, 2 Star Instructor and Compressor Operator.
Beaches
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Jeffreys Bay (18.1 km from Gamtoos Valley) Dolphin Beach is home to the legendary surfing spot Supertubes, known as the best wave in Africa and one of the top five right-hand breaks in the world. And it’s also home to Billabong Pro, now a qualifying series.
Achieving Blue Flag status, the beautiful wide sandy beach is very popular with families and holidaymakers. The Jeffrey’s Bay Shell Museum, a public information kiosk and a number of restaurants and shops are very close.
Dolphin Beach is great for lengthy beach walks, stretching all the way to the Gamtoos River and beyond. There’s also an amazing reef to snorkel on calm days.
Lifeguards and security are on duty during high season (November to end April).
Beaches
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Gamtoos Mouth (18.3 km from Gamtoos Valley) At the mouth of the Gamtoos River lies a stunning beach with a huge stretch of soft white sand, perfect for lengthy strolls. The scenic lagoon and river offer safe swimming, boating and canoeing.
Galleries and Museums
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Jeffreys Bay (19.7 km from Gamtoos Valley) Only a surfer truly knows the feeling! If you’re in ‘J-Bay’ to catch the tubes or even if you’ve never tried surfing, the Quicksilver Store on De Gama Road is worth a visit. It is home to the highly informative Jeffrey’s Bay Surf Museum which tells the story of how surfing started in J-Bay and how the town has developed over the past 50 years.
There are many reasons why this surf-driven town just had to have a surf museum. Essentially, Jeffrey’s Bay is one of the top surfing destinations on the planet. Supertubes, the famous point break right-hander, is the dream destination of every young surfer – the perfect wave often accompanied by dolphins.
J-Bay is the place where the top 44 international surfers compete every year for the WCT world contest surfing tour. Along with local lore, the museum also documents the history of surfing globally and pays tribute to many pioneers and legends.
Walk through this museum and feel the magic that exists between the surfer and the ocean.
Entrance to the museum is free! Open Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00, Saturday 09:00 – 14:00 and Sunday 09:00 – 13:00.
+27 (0) 84 240 1741
Animal Parks
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Thornhill (23.1 km from Gamtoos Valley) African Dawn is set in a tranquil valley. This beautiful bird and wildlife sanctuary features an endangered cat breeding program and rehabilitation centre. The on-site restaurant offers good meals.
Open daily 09:00 - 17:00.
Animal Parks
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Jeffreys Bay (24.4 km from Gamtoos Valley) Happy Hippo Play Farm is just a short 8 km drive from Jeffreys Bay. Kids can enjoy feeding the farm animals and play in the vast open spaces and on the jungle gym. Parents are welcome to kick back with a cup of tea or coffee under a shaded area with stunning views of the Seekoei River. Their onsite nursery sells mostly indigenous plants.
Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Beaches
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Paradise Beach (24.7 km from Gamtoos Valley) Paradise Beach is a long sandy beach situated between Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay. It’s actually a suburb of J-Bay but is relatively untouched by development.
Surrounded by nature reserves and estuaries, you can often spot tiny buck, tortoises, numerous birds, rabbits, mongoose and otters – all much loved by locals. It’s an awesome place for windsurfers and kite boarders with good wind all year round. A not-yet-discovered windsurfing and kite surfing spot!
Paradise Beach is one of the coastal towns where you are guaranteed to spend a relaxing day on a pristine white beach. The name explains it all – it really feels like paradise.
Four By Four Trails
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Patensie (27.5 km from Gamtoos Valley) Gonjah 4x4 Trail offers two trails of 12 km and 20 km, and each takes 4 hours to complete. It is located 12 km from Patensie and is next to the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve. The 12 km trail leads to the top of a mountain with stunning views. The 20 km trail is more technical and is mostly within the game camp. The trail offers great views of the Gamtoos Valley with lots of twists as it descends into a kloof. The trails have a grading of 2 to 3 and a low range vehicle is required for these self-drive tracks. Please call for further information.